6 Best Selling Products for Print On Demand on Etsy

Clueless on how to start your print on demand business on Etsy? There’s simply too many products for you to decide on? A good way for beginners is to just follow what’s already successful. You eliminate one key decision making process that way. So what’s better than knowing which product sells best!

Here we share the 6 best selling products for your print on demand Etsy business.

*This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link!

1. Unisex cotton t-shirts

T-shirts are simply the main product for every print on demand business. This is true but it does not mean it’s easy. T-shirt designs are usually front-facing, making it an obvious first impression. It’s the easiest way of expressing a person’s character and interest among friends and colleagues. You don’t need to talk about the pink unicorn you’re wearing, people would assume you’re a cheerful lover on all things pink. People can be picky for a good shirt but you can’t cater to everyone’s idea of how a good shirt should be.

To make things simpler starting out, it’s wise to only offer unisex t-shirts using the cotton blend. Cotton tees are favored best because of its soft texture and versatile nature, one can wear it to bed or to a meeting, who knows! It’s also great to offer your t-shirts in every size possible to allow for more precise decision making and ensuring happy returning customers. No one wants to get an XL for a design they love when they’re actually wearing M and likes to tuck t-shirts in.

Quick Tip: Direct to garment printing is evaluated based on texture of print on product and white speckling observed around the print. It’s not ideal to have a gummy texture and have too much white speckling.

2. Tough phone cases

The first thing almost everyone goes to once their eyes open every morning or even when half awake, are their handphones. There’s also quite a market for people purchasing new iPhones every year. On average, a person would have about 5 phone covers and that’s for only one phone model. We reckoned it would be higher with longer use of the same phone. Apart from this being a sign of great consumerism, it also means you’ll do well selling your designs on phone cases.

Designing for phone cases should be easier than t-shirts, it is quite straightforward as it won’t be something you’ll put on a person embodying their look. Hence, it should also be easier for your customers to decide on which phone case to get! Easier decisions should mean faster checkouts. It’s definitely a product no one should overlook. Etsy is the perfect place for printed phone cases due to the young target audience it has.

Designs are best printed on hard phone cases and typically centered with simpler ends. It does not have to be complicated and can be as simple as a good quote written in a cute font.

Quick Tip: Make a series of five interconnecting designs on phone cases, chances are your ideal customer will get all five. It’s quite the same as getting your favorite phone case in every possible color sold. They’ll get to change it for every mood.

3. Vertical posters

There’s a growing trend among homeowners to redesign small spaces and often with affordable decorations. Posters are top of the list but not everyone likes to buy one off the supermarket shelf especially with generic designs. Most will look to Etsy to get something unique, well curated and of their tastes. Like phone cases, posters are easy to design. Just imagine your favorite frame of art.

To start small, design posters with a white background in mind because that’s the most common color of our walls at home or in the office. Give some space to each end and position your main design well in the centre. Plan for vertical or portrait posters as it is easier and people prefer vertical posters compared to horizontal ones (unless it’s something that stretches like the world map).

Quick Tip: If you have great photography skills and love taking pictures of life, they are the perfect subject matter for your posters. It’s almost as if your customers are framing a picture they took during a holiday but it’s a poster sold and printed.

4. Totebag

As the world is adopting greener initiatives for a sustainable future, people are increasingly more conscious of their usage of plastic bags during their trips to the local grocer. Everyone is now bringing their own eco-friendly bag everywhere when out shopping, whether they like it or not. It’s the new norm!

Whilst the older generations wouldn’t mind using just any eco-friendly bag they could grab at Walmart or even the ones for free, youths are more interested and concerned with their tote bag designs due to the need to look well. Well, they’re the perfect audience for your upcoming tote bag design. Tote bags are usually the go-to bag on lazy days because it’s so easily paired with any outfit (even if you’re wearing pajamas to be honest). If you size the tote bag perfectly, it should be able to hold an average 11”-13” laptop and a few notebooks needed to attend class or do work at their favorite coffee shop.

Quick Tip: Go for white or black canvas tote bags as your product’s base. They’re more versatile to pair any outfit with and stronger to hold heavy items. A minimalistic design also does great wonders.

5. Spiral notebooks

We bet a great number of women & girls have an obsession for notebooks with cute shiny covers. The urge to get one every single time we pay a visit to the bookstore is real. It’s no wonder that notebooks are on our list of the best selling products for your print on demand business. Just like phone cases, notebooks are easy to design. Just put a good hustle quote over a repetitive background, you’re good to go!

If you’re already selling tote bags it’s just wise to sell notebooks as well, they go hand-in-hand for the average young adult. We also can guarantee returning customers for this one, they’re going to finish their notebooks right? And they will need new ones. 

Quick Tip: Just like phone cases, have a mini series of designs for your notebooks. You’ll thank us when a great customer gets’ em all in one order.

6. Stickers

Most people on Etsy are there because of the ability to personalize things. A notebook may just look the same from one person to the other but what can make them different is some personalization on the front cover. Well, lucky for you, you won’t be the one managing that aspect. You just need to sell some cool stickers that go along with the notebooks you sell. That’s about it! Leave the personalization to your customers.

Stickers are so popular among young people and one is never enough. There’s some kind of fulfilment peeling them off and sticking them onto something. Make a collection of stickers using a similar color theme, the bigger the better.

Quick Tip: Design cute beautiful graphic ones and avoid using typography, stickers are meant for added beauty.

Bottom Line

Your print on demand business on Etsy should include all the best selling products we listed above. There’s simply no exclusion. By offering an array of products instead of just one type increases your chance of success and ensures higher sales per checkout. That should be your ultimate goal as an online retailer. Hey, it’s definitely a business no different than Zara or H&M. Only thing that sets you apart is your items are printed on demand but your customer will never know!

As a newbie, it can be daunting to set up your print on demand business on Etsy. If you’re still figuring out which among these five sells the best, we recommend that you try listing them all with just five designs. Create your designs today with Canva! Replicate the same for each of them, don’t think too much for now. Remember, trial and test to find out what sells best (for you!).

Photo by Jonny Caspari on Unsplash